Apparatus and method to selectively indicate ball positions



Sept. 9, 1969 G. 1'. HILL 3,466,033

APPARATUS AND METHOD TO SELECTIVELY INDICATE BALL POSITIONS Filed July 20, 1967 2 Sheets-Sheet i1 FIG. 1. M

Z2 z0 4 22 20 M22 IN VEA/ me I 1 GERARD 7. HILL.

MAl/OA/EV &: HORNBAKE/Q ATTORNEYS FIG-3.3.

Sept. 9,1969 T. HILL 3,456,033 1 9 APPARATUS AND METHOD TO SELECTIVELY morons BALL POSITIONS Filed July 20, 1967 I I 2 Sheets-$heet 2 mm 20/). 7 Q 22) "'HI M) J2 9 l n ggf GERARD 7f HILL 7 CONTROL AND MAHOA EY8: HOEWBA/(ER United States Patent 3,466,038 APPARATUS AND METHOD TO SELECTIVELY INDICATE BALL POSITIONS Gerard T. Hill, 14229 Chandler Blvd., Van Nuys, Calif. 91401 Filed July 20, 1967, Ser. No. 654,831 Int. Cl. A63d /00; A63b 71/06 US. Cl. 273-14 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Means is provided for temporarily and repetitively indicating a multiplicity of ball location spots on the playing surface of a standard pocket billiard table so that balls may be placed on said spots during said temporary indication and a series of games played from the exact same starting ball locations. The means may then be altered for temporarily indicating a different pattern of ball location spots serving the same function for another series of games. Such indicating means may be light projection means above or beneath the table surface, a template over said surface, or electromagnets beneath said surface attracting means embedded in the balls.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a billiard table game apparatus and method making use of preferably a standard pocket billiard table and standard pocket billiard balls in combination with means for temporarily indicating a series of preselected ball location spots on the table surface. The indicating means is arranged so that said ball location spots can be temporarily indicated on the table surface repetitively so that the ball location spots can be first temporarily indicated on the table surface, the balls exactly positioned thereon, a game played by a first competitor, the exact same ball location spots again temporarily indicated, the balls exactly placed thereon, and a game played by a second competitor, in each case, the game starting with the balls in the exact same ball locations. The indicating means is also arranged so that the pattern of ball location spots temporarily indicated thereby may be changed to provide a different pattern of ball location spots for different competitive games to be played.

Standard pocket billiard games are normally played using 15 consecutively numbered balls and a cue ball. For the starting of the game, the numbered balls are placed in a triangular shaped rack so that said balls are positioned side by side in a triangular group and abutting relationship. While retained by the rack, the triangular positioned group of balls are exactly positioned with the leading ball at one of the triangle tips exactly positioned over a permanently marked spot located in one end portion of the table and the rack is removed.

The one ball is then placed in an opposite end of the table at any desired location beyond a second permanently mounted spot located in that opposite end of the table. From such opposite end of the table, the cue ball is propelled by a one in the conventional and Well known manner for striking the triangular group of numbered balls and moving them to random locations, usually spaced apart, around the table. From this point, the game progresses along many varied procedures, all of which include the forcing of the various numbered balls in the pockets around the table by striking the same with the cue ball.

As stated, there are many variations to the standard pocket billiard game. The important feature of all prior pocket billiard games, however, is that they all commence by racking up all of the numbered balls in the triangular formation using the wooden triangular rack and starting 3,466,038 Patented Sept. 9, 1969 with said racked balls at the described permanently marked table spot at one end thereof. Thus, from the standpoint of the positioning of the balls at the commencement of a particular pocket billiard game, there is virtually no variation since the numbered balls always start in the triangular formation and located at the particular perma nently marked spot on the table.

In order to provide further novel variations to the game of pocket billiards, while at the same time more completely testing the skill of competitive players, I have conceived the idea of eliminating the original triangular racking of the balls and use of the table permanently marked spots while creating predetermined strategy ball'placement situations of various degrees of difficulty. In other words, the basic idea is to provide a first playing com petitor with a predetermined ball placement strategy situation using any part or all of the total number of balls normally. involved in pocket billiards, permit said first competitive player to complete a game starting from said ball placement strategy situation, again exactly repeat said ball placement startegy situation for a second competitive player and permit said second competitive player to complete the game starting from said ball placement strategy situation. A comparison of the scores of the competitive players will, of course, determine the winner and it is obvious that any number of competitive players may be involved with the ball placement strategy situation being exactly recreated for each player to commence his particular game.

In such ball placement strategy situations, the particular balls involved will be placed at any predetermined locations scattered around the table surface, the particular ball placement locations being determined by the difiiculty of the strategy situation desired and as dictated by player experience. Furthermore, once a particular ball placement strategy situation is determined, such must be capable of being exactly repeated for each of the competitive players involved. In this manner, an entire overall game may consist of a great number of ball placement strategy situations starting with those requiring relative minor skills and increasing in such skill requirements, dependent on the capabilities of the particular competitive players.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, an object of my invention to provide a billiard table game apparatus and method wherein some form of indicating means is constructed in combination with a standard billiard table for selectively, repetitively and temporarily indicating a multiplicity of exact predetermined ball locations on the playing surface of the billiard table. Such indicating means may indicate the ball locations on the table playing surface visually or otherwise, the important factor being that said indicating means will provide exact guides for placing the various balls at said exact predetermined ball locations and on a repetitive basis. In this manner, a game may be played by a first competitive player starting from a predetermined ball location strategy situation, after which, a game may be played by a second competitive player starting from the same predetermined ball location strategy situation, the indicating means being actionable prior to the start of each of the games for proper placement of the balls in the particular strategy situation, but inoperative for said ball location indicating function during the playing of said games and after the balls have been thusly placed.

It is a further object of my invention to provide a billiard table game apparatus and method of the foregoing character wherein the ball location strategy situations may be selectively changed from one strategy situation to another, thereby permitting competitive players to test their competitive skills in any number of ball location strategy situations. For instance, the strategy situations presented for competitive players may be initially relatively simple and increase in difiiculty through a number of strategy situations until the superior skill of one player over the other is determined. Furthermore, where the skills of the players are relatively minor, the particular strategy situations may be relatively simple, whereas when the skill, of the players are more completely developed, the strategy situations may be of increasing difficulty, all of which may be accomplished by use of the same indicating means.

It is still a further object of my invention to provide a billiard table game apparatus and method satisfying all of the foregoing objects and providing the advantages thereof which does not require any basic alteration of the billiard table so that conventional billiard games may be played thereon in the usual manner, yet the strategy situation indication may likewise be provided as desired. According to the embodiments of the present invention illustrated, the indicating means may be overhead or underlying light projection means visually projecting ball location spots at the table playing surface, templates selectively positioned overlying the table surface likewise visually indicating the ball location spots as well as confining the balls positioned thereon, or magnetically indicated ball location spots indicated at the table surface from beneath said surface and actionable upon magnetic attraction means located within the balls. In each case, therefore, when the temporary indication by the particular indicating means is removed or deactivated, the particular billiard table appears and may be used as a conventional billiard table to play any of the conventional billiard games desired, while at the same time, may be at any time used for setting up the various ball location strategy situations of the present invention as desired.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings which are for the purpose of illustration only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a standard pocket billiard table having the balls placed thereon at particular ball location spots for presenting a desired ball location strategy situation according to the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, side elevational view illustrating an embodiment of the present invention for visually indicating from an overhead projector the ball location spots to guide the placement of the balls for the particular strategy situation illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view, partially broken away, similar to FIG. 1, but showing use of a particularly formed template for indicating the ball location spots to permit presentation of the strategy situation illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical, sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical, sectional view illustrating a further embodiment of indicating means for carrying out the principles of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged, fragmentary, vertical, sectional, perspective view illustrating still another embodiment of the indicating means for carrying out the principles of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE BEST EMBODIMENTS CONTEMPLATED Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a pocket billiard table is generally indicated at 10 and includes a generally rectangular playing surface generally indicated at 12 formed by a usual felt cover 14 peripherally surrounded in the conventional manner by side and end rails 16 and 18 having resilient cushions 20 extending between pockets 22. Furthermore, the table 10 may have usual permanently marked ball location spots 24 and 26 intermediate the opposite ends of the table for use in playing the usual pocket billiard games, as hereinbefore discussed. Thus, the

pocket billiard table 10 from the functional standpoint of playing conventional pocket billiard games is of standard form and may be thereby used for such standard pocket billiard games.

According to a first embodiment of the present invention, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the pocket billiard table 10 may actually be totally of conventional form in all respects and does not require any permanent attachment thereto for carrying out the principles of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 2, temporary ball location indicating means is provided by a projection head 28 suspended spaced above the table playing surface 12 by a rigid supporting arm 30 and supporting stand 32. The projection head 28 is positioned by the supporting arm and stand 30 and 32 centrally of the table playing surface 12 for directing a projected image downwardly onto said table playing surface.

The projection head 28 may be of usual form, electrically actuated and making use of usual transparent slides, such as slide 34, contained therein in FIG. 2, but the image contained on the slide and projected by the projection head being of a particular form. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the slide 34 will be formed with a particular image so as to project downwardly upon the table playing surface 12 a multiplicity of confined light beams indicated by phantom lines 36 which are visible as ball location spots 38 at predetermined locations around the table playing surface 12.

The ball location spots 38 are precalculated so as to create a particular ball placement strategy situation when certain of designated standard numbered billiard balls 40' are placed thereon, in this particular case, the ball location spot 38 for a standard cue ball 42 also being indicated or projected.

It is important to the principles of the present invention that the ball location indicating means, in this particular embodiment, the projection head 28, will be capable of exact, repetitive ball location indication for as many times as desired. In other words, the projection head 28 must be capable of precise location to the same location centered relative to the table playing surface 12 in order to exactly, repetitively indicate on the table playing surface the various ball location spots 38 of a particular ball location strategy situation. Such exact positioning of the projection head 28 may be accomplished in any of numerous common ways, such as indexing with the projected image on the table side and end rails 16 and 18, or by indexing the projected image relative to the permanently marked ball location spots 24 and 26, neither of such common indexing being shown in order to illustrate with more clarity the basic principles of the present invention.

The important thing is that a particular predetermined pattern of ball location spots 38 will be selectively and repetitively projected downwardly onto the table playing surface 12 so that the numbered balls 40 and the cue ball 42 may be exactly positioned on said ball location spots, thereby positioning said balls in a particular, predetermined strategy situation for the commencement of a pocket billiard game. Once the balls 40 and 42 have been placed, the indication or projection of the ball location spots 38 is removed by turning off the projection head 28 and preferably removing said projection head, the supporting arm 30 and the supporting stand 32 from adjacent the table 10 so that the area is free for a first competitor to proceed with a billiard game according to the strategy situation presented.

Again referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, in FIG. 2 the particular ball location spots 38 for the particular desired strategy situtaion are being indicated on the table playing surface 12 by the projection head 28 and the various balls 40 and 42 have been placed thereon. In FIG. 1 the described indicating means has been removed and the table 10 is set up for playing the particular game by the first competitive player.

After the first competitive player has completed his particular game, the projection head 28 is repositioned, as shown in FIG. 2, turned back on to again exactly indicate the various ball location spots 38 of the particular strategy situation, and the various balls 40 and 42 placed thereon. The table is, therefore, again set up for a second competitive player to commence a game starting from the exact same ball location strategy situation as was present for the first competitive player. Obviously, any number of competitive players may be involved, the important thing being that each competitive player will start his particular game with the various balls 40 and 42 positioned in the exact same strategy situation so that the competitive skills of the various players may be determined.

It will be noted that the particular strategy situation illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 makes use of nine of the fifteen numbered balls 40 and the cue ball 42, all but two of said numbered balls 40 being spaced apart at various locations around the table playing surface 12, as distinguished from the usual pocket billiard games wherein all fifteen of the numbered balls 40 would be compactly racked at one of the permanently marked ball location spots 24 or 26. Due to the independent indication of the various ball location spots 38 for determining the placement of the various balls 40 and 42, such ball placement has no relationship to the permanently marked ball location spots 24 and 26, but rather is completely independently determined in order to create a particular strategy situation as desired.

Furthermore, by altering the image projected by the projection head 28, that is, by changing the slide 34, a different ball location strategy situation may be indicated on the table playing surface 12 for the playing of further games by the same competitive players. The ball location spots 38 in any particular strategy situation may be at any desired location throughout the table playing surface Without restriction or necessary reference to the permanently marked ball location spots 24 and 26.

A second embodiment of the indicating means for carrying out the methods of the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, again the particular form not requiring any alteration of the standard pocket billiard table 10. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the indicating means, in this instance, is in the form of a sheet-like template generally indicated at 44 which may be formed of any suitable material, such as plastic, and may be provided with appropriate handles 46. The outer dimensions of the template 44 are such that said template exactly fits downwardly within and peripherally bounded by the table resilient cushions 20, thereby providing exact indexing for the template relative to the table playing surface 12 while the template overlies said playing surface.

The template 44 is, therefore, generally rectangular exactly covering the table playing surface 12 and for the temporary indication of the ball location spots 38, the template is formed with a series or multiplicity of ball holes 48 exactly positioned for providing the ball location strategy situation, as hereinbefore discussed, and shown in FIG. 1. The ball holes 48 are of appropriate size to permit the various numbered and cue balls 40 and 42 to pass therethrough or be positioned therein with exact confinement, as illustrated with the numbered ball 40, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. Also, if desired, the various numbers of the numbered balls 40 may be marked on the template 44 so that the same numbered ball 40 will be positioned by the template in the same locations on a repetitive basis.

Thus, with this second embodiment, to set up the billiard table 10 for the first competitive game and the various balls 40 and 42 arranged in the desired strategy situation, the template 44 is properly positioned on the table playing surface 12, the various balls 40 and 42 positioned in the proper ball holes 48 so as to be exactly over the ball location spots 38 indicated by said ball holes, and the template lifted from the table playing surface so as to leave said balls positioned in the exact strategy situation which has been predetermined. The first competitive player can then proceed with his competitive game, after which, the exact same strategy situation is set up for the second competitive player following the same procedure so that his game may proceed.

The template 44 accordingly provides repetitive, temporary ball location indication for the playing of a series of competitive games testing the skill of the competitive players and where different strategy situations are desired, it is merely necessary to construct a template 44 with differently located ball holes 43, the same procedure of use being followed.

In the embodiments of the present invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, slight modifications to the standard pocket billiard table 10 are required, but it is important to point out that such modifications do not affect the normal functioning of the table so that the same can be used at all times for the conventional pocket billiard games. In each of the embodiments of FIGS. 5 and 6, the basic idea is to provide a series of permanently mounted, selectively actionable, temporary ball location indicating means spaced throughout the playing surface 12, so that actuation of selected of said temporary indicating means will temporarily indicate a given strategy situation of ball locations, as hereinbefore discussed. Furthermore, when it is desired to present different strategy situations, it is merely necessary to select other combinations of said temporary indicating means for the selective actuation, thereby providing complete versatility for each of the embodiments.

Specifically referring to the embodiment of FIG. 5, the indicating means take on the form of a series of selectively actionable electromagnets 5t spaced throughout the playing surface 12 beneath the felt cover 14. The conventional construction of the pocket billiard table 10 is to support the felt cover 14 on a plastic slab 52 and in this case, the plastic slab must be electrically neutral, that is, nonconducting and noninsulating, with the elec-- tromagnets 50 being supported directly therebeneath by a supporting member 54. Each of the electromagnets 50 is constructed with a coil 56 and core 58, the core being exactly vertically aligned at the intended ball location spot 38 on the playing surface 12 of the felt cover 14 so that actuation of the electromagnet 50 will create a magnetically indicated ball location spot 38 at the playing surface 12.

Each of a group of balls 60 to be used in the various ball location strategy situations is constructed with a metal center core 62 of one of the usual metals capable of magnetic attraction by the electromagnet 50. Such balls 60 must be carefully constructed so as to have the exact weight and characteristics of conventional billiard balls and thereby provide the exact same playing characteristics.

As stated, the electromagnets 50 will be mounted at spaced locations throughout the table playing surface 12 and may be connected for actuation into a conventional control panel, not shown, for selective actuation of any individual electromagnet as desired and in a well known manner. Each of the electromagnets 50 which is selectively actuated will magnetically indicate a ball location spot 38 at the playing surface 12 and a ball 60 placed in the approximate location of said spot will be magnetically drawn into exact predetermined location. Thus, by actuating selected of the electromagnets 50 and the placing of the various balls 60 on the ball location spots 38 magnetically indicated thereby, a particular desired strategy situation of ball locations may be set up on the table playing surface 12.

In use of the embodiment of FIG. 5, therefore, a ball location strategy situation is predetermined, the appropriate electromagnets 5'0 actuated, the appropriate ball 60 positioned on the playing surface 12 and properly positioned by the actuated electromagnets 50, the electromagnets deactivated, and a game played starting from said strategy situation by a first competitive player. The strategy situation is then repeated in the same manner for playing by a second competitive player, and any subsequent competitive players involved. The strategy situation may then be changed for other competitive games merely by selectively actuating different combinations of the electromagnets 50.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, a series of spot projecting lights 64 are positioned spaced throughout the playing surface 12 supported beneath the plastic slab 52 by a supporting member 66. The plastic slab 52, in this case, is preferably substantially transparent so that a spot beam indicated by phantom lines 68 will be projected vertically upwardly from each of the lights 64 when activated, through the plastic slab 52 and through the felt cover 14. Each of the spot beams 68 of the light 64 will, therefore, temporarily project and indicate a ball location spot 38 at the playing surface 12 and visible from above the playing surface.

The various lights 64, as in the previous embodiment, may be electrically connected through a conventional control board, not shown, and in the well known manner so that any of the lights may be selectively actuated and selected groups thereof may be actuated to indicate the desired strategy situation, as hereinbefore discussed. Conventional numbered and cue balls 40 and 42 may be used in the exact same manner as with the overhead projection of the ball location spots discussed relative to the embodiment of FIG. 2. Thus, during the temporary indication of the ball location spots 38 by the actuated of the selected lights 64, the particular ball location strategy situation may be set up and the competitive games played, as hereinbefore discussed, with the lights being deactivated during the playing of the games and the strategy situation altered for subsequent games by selecting other groups of lights to be temporarily actuated.

In use of each of the embodiments of the present inventon, therefore, indicating means is provided for temporarily indicating a series or multiplicity of exact predetermined ball locations permitting the balls to be placed on said ball location spots to set up a predetermined pattern or strategy situation for a billiard game to test the competitive skill of a player. Furthermore, the indicating means is constructed so as to permit an exact reproduction of said temporary indication for subsequent competitive games, and is also constructed so that the temporary indication may be altered so temporarily indicate other strategy situations for other competitive games.

Visual indication of the exact ball locations is provided by the overhead light projection means of FIG. 2, the underlying light projection means of FIG. 6 and the templates of FIG. 3, whereas magnetic indication is rovided by the spot magnetic fields of the electromagnet means of FIG. 5.

Thus, a new and novel pocket billiard game is provided by the present invention for uniquely testing the comparative skills of competitive players. Furthermore, even with the equipment necessary to carry out the principles of the present invention installed in combination with a pocket billiard table, said table may still be used in the conventional manner for playing the usual pocket billiard games, thereby not requiring alteration of the normal functional structure of the Pocket billiard table.

I claim:

1. In a billiard table apparatus for playing a billiard game, the combination of: a table having a horizontal playing surface; indicating means for selectively, repetitively and temporarily indicating a multiplicity of exact predetermined ball locations on said table playing surface, at least three of said ball locations being spaced apart sufiicient distances so that balls placed thereon are spaced apart, said indicating means being capable of being made inoperative for said indication between period-s of said temporary indication, said indicating means including means for selectively changing the indicating of said ball locations to selectively, temporarily and repetitively indicate different exact predetermined ball locations; and balls positionable on said ball locations during said temporary indication thereof.

2. In a billiard table apparatus for playing a billiard game, the combination of: a table having a horizontal playing surface; overhead light projection means spaced above said table surface for projecting an exact predetermined light pattern downwardly onto said table surface, said light pattern defining a multiplicity of exact predetermined ball locations, said projection means including means for selectively changing said light pattern to define different exact predetermined ball locations; and balls positionable on said ball locations during said light pattern definition thereof.

3. In a billiard table apparatus for playing a billiard game, the combination of: a table having a horizontal playing surface; a series of horizontally spaced light projection means below said table surface, each of said light projection means being activated for projecting a light spot upwardly through and visible at said table surface; control means for selectively actuating at least certain of said light projection means, said light spots projected by said certain light projection means defining a multiplicity of exact predetermined ball locations on said table surface, said control means including means for selectively varying said light projection means actuated for selectively varying said light spot projection and ball locations defined thereby; and balls positionable on said ball locations defined by said light spots.

4. In a billiard table apparatus for playing a billiard game, the combination of: a table having a horizontal playing surface; a series of electrically actuated magnet means mounted beneath and spaced along said table surface, each of said magnet means creating a concentrated magnetic spot force at said table surface when actuated to define a ball location spot at said table surface spaced from ball location spots defined by actuation of others of said magnet means; actuation means for selectively, repetitively, and temporarily electrically actuating at least certain of said magnet means to temporarily define a predetermined pattern of ball locations at said table surface, said actuating means including means for changing the repetitive and temporary actuation of said magnet means to define a different predetermined pattern of ball locations at said table surface; and balls positionable on said ball locations during said temporary definition thereof, each of said balls including magnetic attraction means attracted by said magnetic force of said magnet means at a particular ball location.

5. In a billiard table apparatus for playing a billiard game, the combination of: a table having a horizontal playing surface; a sheet-like first template plate positionable over said table surface in predetermined registry with said table surface, a series of ball opening means through said template plate for receiving balls therein and against said table surface to indicate and define a predetermined series of ball locations on said table surface, each of said ball opening means being of a size slightly larger than the particular ball received therein; a second template plate substantially identical to said first template plate with the exception of having similar ball opening means but defining a different pattern of ball locations on said table surface; and a series of balls positionable in said ball opening means of either of said template plates to position said balls at said predetermined ball locations of said table surface as determined by the particular plate chosen and permit removal of said template plate after said positioning.

6. In a billiard table apparatus for playing a billiard game, the combination of: a table having a horizontal playing surface; indicating means for selectively, repetitively and temporarily indicating a multiplicity of exact predetermined ball locations defining a predetermined pattern of ball locations on said table playing surface, said indicating means being capable of being inoperative for said indication between periods of said temporary indication, said indicating means including means for selectively changing said indication of said ball locations to selectively, temporarily and repetitively indicate a different predetermined pattern of ball locations; and balls positionable on said ball locations during said temporary indication thereof to provide said balls on said table surface located in said predetermined patterns.

7. A billiard table apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said indicating means includes a projector positioned spaced above said table surface having means for projecting light downwardly onto said table surface to indicate said exact predetermined ball locations.

8. A billiard table apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said indicating means includes a series of light spot projecting lights beneath said table surface and spaced along said table surface, each of said lights having means for projecting a light spot upwardly through said table surface and visible from above said table surface to define an exact predetermined ball location.

9. A billiard table apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said indicating means includes a series of electrically actuated magnets below said table surface and spaced along said table surface, each of said magnets having means for creating a magnetically attracting spot at said table surface magnetically indicating and defining an exact predetermined ball location; and in which each of said balls includes magnetic attraction means thereon for magnetic attraction by said magnetically attracting forces of said magnets to exactly position a ball at each of said exact ball locations during actuation of the particular of said magnets therebeneath.

10. A billiard table apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which said indicating means includes at least two sheet like template plates positionable over said table surface and in predetermined registry with said table surface, each of said template plates having ball hole means formed therethrough in appropriate locations for defining said predetermined ball location patterns, said ball hole means of one of said template plates forming a different ball location pattern from that defined by said ball hole means of the other of said template plates, said ball hole means being slightly larger than an appropriate of said balls so that said template plates may be removed upwardly from said table surface and balls after positioning of said balls in said predetermined patterns on said table surface.

11. In the method of playing a billiard game, the steps of: temporarily visually indicating a multiplicity of exact predetermined ball locations on a billiard table playing surface, at least three of which are spaced apart sufiicient distances so that balls placed thereon will be spaced apart; positioning said balls on said exact ball locations; effectively removing said temporary visual indication of said exact ball locations; playing a billiard game with said positioned balls; temporarily visually indicating different exact ball locations on said table surface; and repeating said ball positioning, said visual indication removal, and said game playing.

12. In the method of playing a billiard table game, the Steps of: temporarily visually indicating a multiplicity of exact predetermined ball location spots on a billiard table playing surface; positioning said balls on said exact ball location spots; effectively removing said temporary visual indication of said exact ball location spots; playing a billiard game with said positioned balls; temporarily visually indicating different exact ball location spots on said table surface; and repeating said ball positioning, said visual indication removal, and said game playing.

13. In the method of playing a billiard table game, the steps of: temporarily indicating a multiplicity of exact predetermined ball locations defining a predetermined pattern on a billiard table playing surface; positioning said balls on said exact ball locations; effectively removing said temporary indication of said exact ball locations; playing a billiard game with said positioned balls; temporarily indicating a multiplicity of exact predetermined ball locations defining a different predetermined pattern on said billiard table playing surface; and repeating said ball positioning, said indication removal, and said game playing.

14. A method of playing a billiard table game as defined in claim 13 in which said steps of indicating said ball locations include the visual indication of said ball locations at said table surface.

15. A method of playing a billiard table game as defined in claim 13 in which said steps of indicating said ball locations include the visual indication of said ball locations by projecting light from above and downwardly onto said table surface.

16. A method of playing a billiard table game as defined in claim 13 in which said steps of indicating said ball locations include the visual indication of said ball locations by projecting light spots from beneath and upwardly through said table surface visible above said table surface.

17. A method of playing a billiard table game as defined in claim 13 in which said steps of indicating said ball locations include the visual indication of said ball locations by confining means physically placed over said table surface and peripherally engaging said balls upon said balls being positioned on said table surface.

18. A method of playing a billiard table game as defined in claim 13 in which said steps of indicating said ball locations include the indication of said ball locations by spaced magnetic forces effective at said table surface; and in which said method includes the step of providing said balls with magnetic attraction means thereon subject to magnetic attraction by said magnetic forces when said balls are positioned on said table surface and in the general locations of said magnetic forces.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,215,624 2/1917 Debelack 273l4 1,648,956 11/1927 Meade 273-119 2,056,985 10/1936 Smith 27346 2,894,747 7/1959 Seymour 273-118 2,939,709 6/1960 Verveer 273118 3,120,956 2/1964 Burgess 273-54 ANTON O. OECHSLE, Primary Examiner THOMAS ZACK, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 273-22 

